Begin on Jerusalem and Katz on Begin

There's an article in Haaretz on Menachem Begin and Jerusalem by Shay Fogelman:

What Israeli, U.S. leaders of 1977 hoped would be Jerusalem's fate

And, it is claimed, he found a

A previously unpublished transcript of a meeting between Israeli and U.S. leaders in Washington on December 17, 1977, offers a surprising revelation: Prime Minister Begin's suggestion that autonomous international religious councils would oversee Jerusalem's holy places.

My comments on the article:

1. Fogleman writes:

At a meeting with Vance in Jerusalem on December 12, 1977, Begin surprisingly suggested that he visit Washington urgently in order to present to Carter new ideas which he had formulated as part of an Israel plan...Begin's trip to Washington was kept secret for three days, during which the prime minister held marathon meetings with cabinet ministers and advisers to formulate the Israeli blueprint for negotiations.

Shmuel Katz writes in his The Hollow Peace, p. 194, that actually the government had but one meeting on Tuesday, December 13, when the plan was first proposed in the formal session. Begin did not consult with his advisor of information affairs.

2. Fogelman writes "On the day of his departure, December 15, 1977...The plane landed first in Washington, and only afterward, very late and very close to Shabbat, proceeded to New York with the regular passengers."

Katz writes, p. 201, that the plane landed in New York on the Wednesday in the afternoon, and a meeting with all aides was conducted by Begin on the Thursday. They were in Washington on the 16th.

3. Fogelman writes "...Begin - without any preliminaries or any connection to what had been talked about - said out of the blue: "Our paper made no mention of Jerusalem but, of course, we have been considering it. We didn't overlook it at all. The matter refers to the holy shrines of the Muslim, Christian and the Jewish world. Indeed, it is of interest to the whole world.

"My idea, and I wish to emphasize that is still only an idea - I still, of course, have to discuss it with my colleagues - is to have an international religious council that would take care of the holy shrines of each of the respective religions..."

On page 212, Katz notes that the plan did include "a special proposal will be prepared and submitted, ensuring free access to all the religious communities to their holy places". Katz was "outraged" and he "protested against it". At a second meeting with Carter on the Saturday night, Begin "at least refrained from repeating the details of the plan".

I guess the full history still is to be written.

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